the four horsemen of the apocalypse-第64节

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cross…bones。

〃My　best　friend；〃　said　the　Count　in　tremulous　tones。　　〃The　being　that　I　love　most　in　all　the　world。　。　。　。　　And　to　think　that　at　this　moment　he　may　be　fighting；　and　they　may　kill　him！　。　。　。　　To　think　that　I；　too；　may　die！〃

Desnoyers　believed　that　he　must　be　getting　a　glimpse　into　a　romance　of　the　nobleman's　past。　　That　Hussar　was　undoubtedly　his　natural　son。　　His　simplicity　of　mind　could　not　conceive　of　anything　else。　Only　a　father's　tenderness　could　so　express　itself　。　。　。　and　he　was　almost　touched　by　this　tenderness。

Here　the　interview　came　to　an　end；　the　warrior　turning　his　back　as　he　left　the　room　in　order　to　hide　his　emotion。　　A　few　minutes　after　was　heard　on　the　floor　below　the　sound　of　a　grand　piano　which　the　Commissary　had　not　been　able　to　carry　off；　owing　to　the　general's　interposition。　　His　voice　was　soon　heard　above　the　chords　that　he　was　playing。　　It　was　rather　a　lifeless　baritone；　but　he　managed　to　impart　an　impassioned　tremolo　to　his　romance。　　The　listening　old　man　was　now　really　affected；　he　did　not　understand　the　words；　but　the　tears　came　into　his　eyes。　　He　thought　of　his　family；　of　the　sorrows　and　dangers　about　them　and　of　the　difficulties　surrounding　his　return　to　them。　。　。　。　　As　though　under　the　spell　of　the　melody；　little　by　little；　he　descended　the　stairs。　　What　an　artist's　soul　that　haughty　scoffer　had！　。　。　。　　At　first　sight；　the　Germans　with　their　rough　exterior　and　their　discipline　which　made　them　commit　the　greatest　atrocities；　gave　one　a　wrong　impression。　　One　had　to　live　intimately　with　them　to　appreciate　their　true　worth。

By　the　time　the　music　had　ceased；　he　had　reached　the　castle　bridge。　A　sub…officer　was　watching　the　graceful　movements　of　the　swans　gliding　double　over　the　waters　of　the　moat。　　He　was　a　young　Doctor　of　Laws　who　just　now　was　serving　as　secretary　to　His　Excellencya　university　man　mobilized　by　the　war。

On　speaking　with　Don　Marcelo；　he　immediately　revealed　his　academic　training。　　The　order　for　departure　had　surprised　the　professor　in　a　private　institute；　he　was　just　about　to　be　married　and　all　his　plans　had　been　upset。

〃What　a　calamity；　sir！　。　。　。　　What　an　overturning　for　the　world！　。　。　。　Yet　many　of　us　have　foreseen　that　this　catastrophe　simply　had　to　come。　　We　have　felt　strongly　that　it　might　break　out　any　day。　Capital；　accursed　Capital　is　to　blame。〃

The　speaker　was　a　Socialist。　　He　did　not　hesitate　to　admit　his　co…　operation　in　certain　acts　of　his　party　that　had　brought　persecutions　and　set…backs　to　his　career。　　But　the　Social…Democracy　was　now　being　accepted　by　the　Emperor　and　flattered　by　the　most　reactionary　Junkers。　　All　were　now　one。　　The　deputies　of　his　party　were　forming　in　the　Reichstag　the　group　most　obedient　to　the　government。　。　。　。　The　only　belief　that　it　retained　from　its　former　creed；　was　its　anathematization　of　Capitalresponsible　for　the　war。

Desnoyers　ventured　to　disagree　with　this　enemy　who　appeared　of　an　amiable　and　tolerant　character。　　〃Did　he　not　think　that　the　real　responsibility　rested　with　German　militarism？　　Had　it　not　sought　and　prepared　this　conflict；　by　its　arrogance　preventing　any　settlement？〃

The　Socialist　denied　this　roundly。　　His　deputies　were　supporting　the　war　and；　therefore；　must　have　good　reason。　　Everything　that　he　said　showed　an　absolute　submission　to　disciplinethe　eternal　German　discipline；　blind　and　obedient；　which　was　dominating　even　the　most　advanced　parties。　　In　vain　the　Frenchman　repeated　arguments　and　facts　which　everybody　had　read　from　the　beginning　of　the　war。　　His　words　simply　slid　over　the　calloused　brains　of　this　revolutionist；　accustomed　to　delegating　all　his　reasoning　functions　to　others。

〃Who　can　tell？〃　he　finally　said。　　〃Perhaps　we　have　made　a　mistake。　But　just　at　this　moment　all　is　confused；　the　premises　which　would　enable　us　to　draw　exact　conclusions　are　lacking。　　When　the　conflict　ends；　we　shall　know　the　truly　guilty　parties；　and　if　they　are　ours　we　shall　throw　the　responsibility　upon　them。〃

Desnoyers　could　hardly　keep　from　laughing　at　his　simplicity。　　To　wait　till　the　end　of　the　war　to　know　who　was　to　blame！　。　。　。　　And　if　the　Empire　should　come　out　conqueror；　what　responsibility　could　the　Socialists　exact　in　the　full　pride　of　victory；　they　who　always　confined　themselves　to　electoral　battles；　without　the　slightest　attempt　at　rebellion？

〃Whatever　the　cause　may　be；〃　concluded　the　Socialist；　〃this　war　is　very　sad。　　How　many　dead！　。　。　。　　I　was　at　Charleroi。　　One　has　to　see　modern　warfare　close　by。　。　。　。　　We　shall　conquer；　we　are　going　to　enter　Paris；　so　they　say；　but　many　of　our　men　must　fall　before　obtaining　the　final　victory。〃

And　as　though　wishing　to　put　these　visions　of　death　out　of　his　mind；　he　resumed　his　diversion　of　watching　the　swans；　offering　them　bits　of　bread　so　as　to　make　them　swing　around　in　their　slow　and　majestic　course。

The　Keeper　and　his　family　were　continually　crossing　and　recrossing　the　bridge。　　Seeing　their　master　on　such　friendly　terms　with　the　invaders；　they　had　lost　some　of　the　fear　which　had　kept　them　shut　up　in　their　cottage。　　To　the　woman　it　seemed　but　natural　that　Don　Marcelo's　authority　should　be　recognized　by　these　people；　the　master　is　always　the　master。　　And　as　though　she　had　received　a　part　of　this　authority；　she　was　entering　the　castle　fearlessly；　followed　by　her　daughter；　in　order　to　put　in　order　her　master's　sleeping　room。　　They　had　decided　to　pass　the　night　in　rooms　near　his；　that　he　might　not　feel　so　lonely　among　the　Germans。

The　two　women　were　carrying　bedding　and　mattresses　from　the　lodge　to　the　top　floor。　　The　Keeper　was　occupied　in　heating　a　second　bath　for　His　Excellency　while　his　wife　was　bemoaning　with　gestures　of　despair　the　sacking　of　the　castle。　　How　many　exquisite　things　had　disappeared！　。　。　。　　Desirous　of　saving　the　remainder；　she　besought　her　master　to　make　complaints；　as　though　he　could　prevent　the　individual　and　stealthy　robberies。　　The　orderlies　and　followers　of　the　Count　were　pocketing　everything　they　could　lay　their　hands　on；　saying　smilingly　that　they　were　souvenirs。　　Later　on　the　woman　approached　Desnoyers　with　a　mysterious　air　to　impart　a　new　revelation。　　She　had　seen　a　head　officer　force　open　the　chiffoniers　where　her　mistress　was　accustomed　to　keep　her　lingerie；　and　he　was　making　up　a　package　of　the　finest　pieces；　including　a　great　quantity　of　blonde　lace。

〃That's　the　one；　Master；〃　she　said　soon　after；　pointing　to　a　German　who　was　writing　in　the　garden；　where　an　oblique　ray　of　sunlight　was　filtering　through　the　branches　upon　his　table。

Don　Marcelo　recognized　him　with　surprise。　　Commandant　Blumhardt；　too！　。　。　。　　But　immediately　he　excused　the　act。　　He　supposed　it　was　only　natural　that　this　official　should　want　to　take　something　away　from　the　castle；　since　the　Count　had　set　the　example。　　Besides；　he　took　into　account　the　quality　of　the　objects　which　he　was　appropriating。　　They　were　not　for　himself；　they　were　for　the　wife；　for　the　daughters。　。　。　。　　A　good　father　of　his　family！　　For　more　than　an　hour　now；　he　had　been　sitting　before　that　table　writing　incessantly；　conversing；　pen　in　hand；　with　his　Augusta　and　all　the　family　in　Cassel。　　Better　that　this　good　man　should　carry　off　his　stuff　than　those　other　domineering　officers　with　cutting　voices　and　insolent　stiffness。

Desnoyers　noticed；　too；　that　the　writer　raised　his　head　every　time　that　Georgette；　the　Warden's　daughter；　passed　by；　following　her　with　his　eyes。　　The　poor　father！　。　。　。　　Undoubtedly　he　was　comparing　her　with　his　two　girls　home　in　Germany；　with　all　their　thoughts　on　the　war。　　He；　too；　was　thinking　of　Chichi；　fearing　sometimes；　that　he　might　never　see　her　again。　　In　one　of　her　trips　from　the　castle　to　her　home；　Blumhardt　called　the　child　to　him。　　She　stopped　before　the　table；　timid　and　shrinking　as　though　she　felt　a　presentiment　of　danger；　but　making　an　effort　to　smile。　　The　Prussian　father　meanwhile　chatted　with　her；　and　patted　her　cheeks　with　his　great　pawsa　sight　which　touched　Desnoyers　deeply。　　The　memories　of　a　pacific　and　virtuous　life　were　rising　above　the　horrors　of　war。　Decidedly　this　one　enemy　was　a　good　man；　anyway。

Because　of　his　conclusion；　the　millionaire　smiled　indulgently　when　the　Commandant；　leaving　the　table；　came　toward　himafter　delivering　his　letter　and　a　bulky　package　to　a　soldier　to　take　to　the　battalion　post…office　in　the　village。

〃It　is　for　my　family；〃　he　explained。　　〃I　do　not　let　a　day　pass　without　sending　them　a　letter。　　Theirs　are　so　precious　to　me！　。　。　。　I　am　also　sending　them　a　few　remembrances。〃

Desnoyers　was　on　the　point　of　protesting。　。　。　。　　But　with　a　shrug　of　indifference；　he　concluded　to　keep　silence　as　if　he　did　not　object。　The　Commandant　continued　talking　of　the　sweet　Augusta　and　their　children　while　the　invisible　tempest　kept　on　thundering　beyond　the　serene　twilight　horizon。　　Each　time　the　cannonading　was　more　intense。

〃The　battle；〃　continued　Blumhardt。　　〃Always　a　battle！　。　。　。　　Surely　it　is　the　last　and　we　are　going　to　win。　　Within　the　week；　we　shall　be　entering　Paris。　。　。　。　　But　how　many　will　never　see　it！　　So　many　dead！　。　。　。　　I　understand　that　to…morrow　we　shall　not　be　here。　　All　the　Reserves　are　to　combine　with　the　attack　so　as　to　overcome　the　last　resistance。　。　。　。　　If　only　I　do　not　fall！〃　。　。　。

Thoughts